Much has been made of the changes that Watford have undergone this season, with Ian Holloway the most vocal opponent of the club's use of 14 loan players, but amid all the transformation there has been one constant – and Lloyd Doyley, a Watford stalwart for the past 12 years, reckons the current side are the most exciting one that he has played in and are poised to make it to the Premier League.

Doyley was part of the last Watford team to reach the top flight, thanks to a 3-0 win in the 2006 play-offs against Leeds United, and he is convinced that Gianfranco Zola's team can emulate that feat by beating Crystal Palace on Sunday.

"When we won it last time we went in very confident and we are equally so this time, though it is a completely different team playing in a completely different way," says Doyley. "Now it's a better passing team and the way we play is more exciting, we don't just depend on one or two individuals. We've played quite attacking, free-flowing football all season and it suits us. We'll have a big pitch at Wembley and hopefully we can play that type of football and produce a good performance."

For Doyley, who has played under seven full-time managers during his career at Watford, the influx of new players under the new Italian owners has not required any particular adaptation.

"I've seen seven managers and hundreds of players come and go so there are always dramas at Watford!" he says with a laugh.

"This season has not really made a difference. We've brought in some really good players who've adapted to Championship life and it's worked. We finished third in the league and that shows we were the third most consistent team so we just have to go out and show that at Wembley."